Power-tool Joinery: The Case for Case Miters

What joint would you use at the corners of a case? If appearance is a consideration – when is it not? – you definitely don’t want an ugly joint like a rabbet. No matter how thin, that strip of exposed end grain – the butt of the board – is unattractive.

From the standpoint of what looks best, the miter joint should be atop your list. The only surfaces visible are the attractive ones: the faces and the edges. If you are making a small chest and you have a wide, long board with killer figure, you can wrap that figure around the corners without interruption.